Welcome to your new favorite weeknight dinner solution! This Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans recipe is the perfect set-it-and-forget-it meal that delivers a ton of flavor with minimal effort. Imagine coming home to tender, juicy chicken and perfectly crisp-tender green beans coated in a savory garlic and soy glaze. It’s a complete, healthy meal made right in your slow cooker, saving you time and cleanup. This dish proves that you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to create something truly delicious and satisfying for your family.
We designed this recipe to be incredibly simple. You just place the chicken and a simple sauce in the slow cooker and let it work its magic. The real secret, which we’ll share below, is timing when you add the green beans to ensure they never turn out mushy. Get ready to make this easy Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans a regular in your dinner rotation.
A wholesome and delicious dinner, ready in a few easy steps.
Why This Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans Recipe Works
You’ll fall in love with this recipe for its simplicity and incredible taste. It’s a true one-pot wonder that streamlines your cooking process, making it perfect for busy days. The savory sauce, made from pantry staples, infuses the chicken with flavor as it cooks to tender perfection.
But the real game-changer is our method. By adding the green beans towards the end of the cooking time, we guarantee they remain vibrant and crisp-tender. This simple trick elevates the entire dish, setting it apart from other slow cooker recipes and ensuring a perfect texture every time.
The Simple Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe relies on a handful of pantry staples to create a delicious and savory sauce. Here’s what you’ll need:
Chicken Breasts: We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for a lean protein base. Chicken thighs also work wonderfully if you prefer darker meat.
Green Beans: Fresh green beans are best for this recipe. Be sure to trim the ends before using.
Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: This provides the savory, umami base for our sauce.
Honey: Adds a touch of sweetness to balance the salty soy sauce. Maple syrup is a great substitute.
Chicken Broth: Creates the liquid base for the sauce and keeps the chicken moist.
Garlic & Ginger: Freshly minced garlic and ginger provide a huge punch of aromatic flavor.
Cornstarch: A cornstarch slurry is the secret to thickening the sauce into a beautiful glaze at the end.
Sesame Oil: A drizzle at the end adds a wonderful, nutty aroma.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans (Step-by-Step)
Making this flavorful meal is as easy as 1-2-3. Follow these simple steps for a perfect result.
Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, chicken broth, minced garlic, and minced ginger.
Cook the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, ensuring it’s fully coated. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Add the Green Beans: About 30 minutes before the cooking time is up, add the trimmed fresh green beans to the crockpot. Stir them into the sauce, cover, and continue to cook until they are tender-crisp.
Thicken the Glaze: Once cooked, remove the chicken and green beans from the crockpot. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Pour the slurry into the remaining liquid in the crockpot and whisk until it thickens into a glaze. Turn the crockpot to high to speed this up.
Serve: Return the chicken and green beans to the crockpot and toss to coat in the thickened glaze. Serve immediately over rice or quinoa.
The savory garlic-soy glaze makes every bite irresistible.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken and Green Beans
Want to ensure your meal is absolutely perfect? Here are a few expert tips:
Don’t Add Green Beans Too Early: This is the most important tip! Adding green beans at the start of a long cooking process will result in a mushy, unappealing texture. Add them in the last 20-30 minutes for a perfect crisp-tender bite.
Use Fresh Ingredients: While you can use garlic powder and ground ginger in a pinch, fresh garlic and ginger will always provide a more vibrant and aromatic flavor.
Shred or Slice: For maximum flavor, you can shred the chicken once it’s cooked before returning it to the thickened glaze. This ensures every bite is coated in that delicious sauce.
Delicious Variations to Try
This recipe is a fantastic base for customization. Here are a few ideas to switch things up:
Add More Veggies: Feel free to add sliced carrots or baby potatoes at the beginning with the chicken. Bell peppers or broccoli florets can be added with the green beans. For more ideas, check out our Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetables recipe.
Make it Spicy: Add a teaspoon of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of heat.
Honey Garlic Flavor: For a different but equally delicious flavor profile, try our Honey Garlic Chicken sauce as the base.
What to Serve with Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans
This dish is a fantastic all-in-one meal, but it also pairs beautifully with a variety of sides. Serve it over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice, quinoa, or even egg noodles to soak up all of the delicious sauce. For a low-carb option, cauliflower rice is an excellent choice.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can reheat the chicken and green beans gently in the microwave or in a skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through. The sauce may thicken slightly upon refrigeration, but it will loosen up again when reheated.
The key is to add the fresh green beans during the last 20-30 minutes of the cooking time. This ensures they cook through but remain vibrant and crisp-tender, not mushy.
Absolutely. Slow cookers are designed to heat food slowly and hold it at a safe temperature (above 140°F) for an extended period, which safely cooks raw chicken and makes it incredibly tender.
Yes! To include potatoes, use baby potatoes or dice larger potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add them to the slow cooker at the very beginning along with the chicken, as they need a longer time to become tender.
The chicken is done when it is tender and easily shredded with a fork, and its internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) on a meat thermometer.
More Delicious Crockpot Recipes
If you enjoyed this easy meal, you’ll love our other slow cooker creations! For a cheesy and comforting dinner, try our Crockpot Ranch Chicken and Potatoes. And if you’re looking for another simple weeknight option, our Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken is always a crowd-pleaser.
A Recipe You’ll Love!
This Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans recipe is a game-changer for busy families who still want a wholesome, home-cooked meal. It’s simple, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. We know you’ll love it as much as we do. If you make this recipe, we’d love to see it! Share your creations and tag us on Pinterest.
This easy Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans is your answer to a busy weeknight!
Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans Recipe
FL Recipes
Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans: An Easy & Flavorful Weeknight Meal
This easy Crockpot Chicken and Green Beans recipe is the perfect set-it-and-forget-it meal! Tender chicken and crisp green beans are coated in a savory garlic soy glaze for a healthy, flavorful dinner the whole family will love.
1 Slow Cooker A 6-quart slow cooker is recommended.
1 Small Bowl
Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, chicken broth, minced garlic, and minced ginger.
Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 2 hours.
About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the trimmed green beans to the crockpot and stir. Cover and continue cooking until tender-crisp.
Remove chicken and green beans. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the liquid in the crockpot until it thickens.
Return the chicken and green beans to the crockpot. Drizzle with sesame oil and toss to coat in the glaze. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalProtein: 45gFat: 8gFiber: 4g
Notes
For best results, use fresh green beans and add them only in the last 30 minutes of cooking to ensure they stay crisp-tender. This dish is delicious served over a bed of fluffy rice to soak up the extra sauce.
Keyword crockpot chicken and green beans,healthy crockpot recipe,slow cooker chicken
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
